December 1st 2024.
Communities in the Bay Area are gathering together to honor those who have lost their lives to AIDS and to celebrate the progress made in overcoming this disease. This is all part of World AIDS Day, which is officially recognized on December 1st. The National AIDS Trust estimates that over 35 million people have died from AIDS-related illnesses in the past 40 years, and there are currently 38 million people living with AIDS worldwide. This global movement aims to show support for those affected by this devastating disease.
One of the events being held is an AIDS Memorial Quilt Display in San Jose's Janet Gray Hayes Rotunda on December 1st from noon to 7 p.m. This will be followed by a candlelight vigil at 5:30 p.m. San Jose Councilmember Pam Foley has a personal connection to this cause, as her brother Tim passed away from AIDS-related complications 28 years ago. She wrote a heartfelt post on Facebook, sharing her experience and inviting the community to join in the events being hosted by the Billy DeFrank LGBTQ+ Community Center and Silicon Valley Pride.
In Oakland, a variety of activities will be taking place at the Lake Merritt Sail Boat House on December 5th from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. This event, with the theme "Putting People First: East Bay Communities on the Rise", is being co-hosted by the Oakland LGBTQ Center and East Bay Getting to Zero. The organizers hope to recognize the work being done to prevent HIV and fight against the stigma surrounding it.
World AIDS Day was also acknowledged at Sunday services at Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco, where the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic was recognized. The GLBT Historical Society also debuted a new photo exhibition called "Focus on Living: Portraits of Americans with HIV and AIDS". California state Sen. Scott Wiener and President Joe Biden also released statements, emphasizing the importance of remembering those we have lost and continuing the fight against HIV.
Sen. Wiener stressed the importance of access to HIV testing, treatment, and PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) in ending new HIV infections. PrEP is a medication taken by those at risk for HIV to prevent them from contracting the virus. When taken as prescribed, it can reduce the risk of getting HIV from sex by 99%. Sen. Wiener, who takes PrEP himself, believes that these strategies, if implemented widely, could mean the end of HIV infections.
President Biden also marked the occasion with a formal proclamation and a statement on social media. He acknowledged the progress made in fighting against AIDS, but also recognized the work that still needs to be done, particularly for LGBTQ+ individuals and people of color who have been disproportionately affected by this epidemic. He urged everyone to join in the fight to end HIV infections once and for all.
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